Games I've Played in 2023 Ranked!
2023 has been a pretty damn good year when it came to dipping into my untapped retro catalogue honestly; I tried out (and ended up loving) numerous older games/series such as Katamari Damacy, Mega Man and Devil May Cry, I took care of many titles I'd had in my backlog like Murder by Numbers, Paper Mario and Ninja Gaiden (before just as quickly filling my backlog all the way back up thanks to some opportune eShop sales XD) and, perhaps most surprising of all, managed to reconcile with a series I'd long dismissed in the past in Metroid thanks to Fusion's release on NSO. As a result, I actually didn't end up playing much of anything from 2023 itself (outside of remasters/DLC of course) so you won't be seeing any of the big hitters from this year like TOTK of BG3 on this list. Regardless, I hope you'll enjoy my list of all the 80+ (!!!) games I've played this year and I can't wait to see what 2024 will bring in tow (it's got both Apollo Justice and Paper Mario TTYD as is so we're already off to a cracking start XD). Thank you for reading and I hope you like my list! :D
(oh and you check the notes attached to each game for a small blurb detailing my thoughts on them if you want!)
(oh and you check the notes attached to each game for a small blurb detailing my thoughts on them if you want!)
84 Games
My 2023 Game of the Year and nothing even comes remotely close. Ghost Trick is one of those kinds of games in the sense that talking about even one aspect of what makes it so brilliant can lead to utterly gigantic spoilers so it's extremely hard to discuss as a result. All I can really say is this: Ghost Trick is an absolutely phenomenal puzzle/adventure that perfectly marries game mechanics and story together to form an utterly unforgettable experience that you'll be thinking about long after the credits roll. GT is available on pretty much every modern system for only 30 bucks (regularly even less than that) and I implore you to buy and play it whenever you can, you won't regret it in the slightest. AND DID I MENTION IT CONTAINS THE GOODEST BOY IN GAMING WITH MISSILE THE POMERANIAN-
1
Quite possibly my favourite platformer ever made right alongside Super Mario Galaxy. Forgotten Land is full of endless creativity that fully takes advantage of every angle you could go down when using a post-apocalyptic setting, such as the serene silence with nature thriving in cityscapes or the long-forgotten machinery whirring back to life for one last hurrah. The gameplay is also some of the best I've ever seen in a platformer and makes it look like Kirby's been doing 3D just as long as the other titans of the genre: upgradable copy abilities keeps each one feeling fresh, Mouthful Mode is hilarious and provides some lovely distractions and the boss fights feel straight out of Dark Souls in the best way imaginable. Combine all this with a delightfully dark cosmic-horror storyline and one of Kirby's finest soundtracks and you end up with a game that's so good it's genuinely hard to believe that this is Kirby's attempt at full-on 3D.
2
February 9th 2023:
oh Katamari Damacy is gonna be the next NSO Game Trial? I've never played the series before but eh sure why not. I'll probably drop it after about an hour but let's give it a go anyway
5 hours later
where has this game been my entire life
oh Katamari Damacy is gonna be the next NSO Game Trial? I've never played the series before but eh sure why not. I'll probably drop it after about an hour but let's give it a go anyway
5 hours later
where has this game been my entire life
3
OH MY GOD WHAT A F***ING GAME TO CLOSE OUT THE YEAR WITH HOLY
DMC3 pretty much takes everything people liked about DMC1, turns it up to eleven while also evolving pretty much every other aspect of the series. The narrative? Still pretty thin, but with a lot more character interactions and the dichotomy between Dante and Vergil is absolutely peak. The style? Even more pronounced than before, with Dante's lackadaisical attitude always putting a massive smile on my face. The gameplay? Refined to a sheen compared to 1 and 2, providing constant adrenaline-pumping action with combos and variety of days. This may very well be the best action game I will ever play and honestly? I'm completely cool with that.
DMC3 pretty much takes everything people liked about DMC1, turns it up to eleven while also evolving pretty much every other aspect of the series. The narrative? Still pretty thin, but with a lot more character interactions and the dichotomy between Dante and Vergil is absolutely peak. The style? Even more pronounced than before, with Dante's lackadaisical attitude always putting a massive smile on my face. The gameplay? Refined to a sheen compared to 1 and 2, providing constant adrenaline-pumping action with combos and variety of days. This may very well be the best action game I will ever play and honestly? I'm completely cool with that.
4
I've historically had a very rocky relationship with Metroid as a series, finding both the original and Super to be immensely frustrating experiences that, no matter how many times I tried playing them, would always leave an intensely sour taste in my mouth. Fusion then was very much a last hurrah in that sense; if I didn't like this then I sure as hell wasn't going to like the rest of them.
So let me be the first to tell you that this game is an absolute masterpiece.
The BSL Station is a hauntingly memorable setting, the SA-X is absolutely terrifying at every encounter and Samus finally feels great to control, zipping about with tight and snappy responsiveness. It's not perfect (some of the late-game bosses are an absolute chore to take down) but by god it managed to take a series I looked at with disdain and turn it into one where I now want to play every game in the entire goddamn FRANCHISE. What a f***ing fantastic game man.
So let me be the first to tell you that this game is an absolute masterpiece.
The BSL Station is a hauntingly memorable setting, the SA-X is absolutely terrifying at every encounter and Samus finally feels great to control, zipping about with tight and snappy responsiveness. It's not perfect (some of the late-game bosses are an absolute chore to take down) but by god it managed to take a series I looked at with disdain and turn it into one where I now want to play every game in the entire goddamn FRANCHISE. What a f***ing fantastic game man.
5
A Short Hike has one goal in mind: to be a relaxing, atmospheric 3D explorative platformer with fun characters, a nostalgic artstyle and a superbly chill soundtrack. And in that goal, it succeeds with flying (heh) colours. The short length may be a turn-off for some (though I don't know what you were expecting given the title), but A Short Hike is the textbook example of making the most out of relatively little, can't recommend it enough.
6
If Dead Cells was my gateway into roguelikes, Slay the Spire is what made me truly fall in love with the genre as a whole. Card-based battles combined with roguelike mechanics sounds like a recipe for disaster, but Slay the Spire manages to pull it off beautifully while also providing a great soundtrack, lovely artstyle and an ever-changing gameplay loop that never gets stale. Definitely in my Top 10 for this year and I can't wait to keep coming back to the Spire over and over again.
7
Pretty much one of the best bang-for-your-buck kind of deals you can get right now, containing both a highly refined and critically acclaimed main game alongside an intriguingly experimental peak into (potentially) the future of 3D Mario. If you enjoy Mario's platformers in any capacity, get this game. Genuinely as simple as that.
9
MADWORLD F***ING RULES MAN. I'm always a sucker for beatemups with unique visual styles and rocking OSTs and Madworld ratchets everything up to eleven. From the iconic black-&-white graphic novel artstyle (which perfectly complements the red spewing from every living thing around you) to the motion-controlled mayhem you can cause that never feels stale to each of the numerous boss fights which almost all feel fantastic to square up against, Madworld is an adrenaline rush from start to finish and one I'd highly recommend if you have a Wii rotting away somewhere.
10
SO MUCH BETTER THAN LIMBO DUDE OH MY GOD. I knew a lot of what Inside pulled before playing it myself but was still hooked by it's varied setpieces, fascinating aesthetic and haunting 'show don't tell' narrative. I may feel as though Limbo is overrated, but Inside deserves all the praise it gets, absolutely wonderful stuff.
11
An immensely charming and highly original take on both the Ace Attorney and Picross formula. The characters felt both highly realistic yet distinct from one another (K.C my beloved), the dialogue/writing is genuinely some of the best I've ever seen in any game I've played (seriously guys, it's absolutely BRILLIANT) and meshing the Investigation segments of Ace Attorney with nonogram puzzles worked out far better than I was expecting. It can definitely drag in the latter half (evident by how it took me about 3 and a half months to actually beat MbN) but overall, Murder By Numbers is one of the most unique VN/adventure games I've ever experienced and can't recommend it enough to those who haven't tried it out yet.
12
A near-perfect fusion of both 2D and 3D Mario. Almost every level in the entire main game utilises a unique mechanic that's used in increasingly creative ways, the movement/platforming moveset feels juuuuuust right for the levels it throws at you and the OST is hands-down one of the best gaming soundtracks in the entire medium. The only preventing it from being a 10/10 for me is that the postgame content is severely lacking in my opinion (with only the 1st Special World really doing it for me). Other than that though, it's one of Mario's finest platformers and an entry almost anyone with an attachment to the mustachioed man should give a go.
13
Considering how this is a decently obscure 2D platformer made by the folks at Game Freak long before they would go on to create the titan that is Pokemon, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Pulseman is probably just another bang average platformer that were a dime-a-dozen on the Mega Drive. Shockingly (I swear I don't try to do these puns on purpose) enough however, Pulseman is genuinely in contention for being one of the best platformers on not just the MD, but in the 16-bit generation as a whole. Greatly inspired by Mega Man, Pulseman zips across every stage like lightning in a bottle and zooming from area to area feels FANTASTIC to pull off. Coupled with a killer soundtrack (filled with future Pokemon melodies at that) and some damn cool level themes adn you're left with one of my personal favourite platformers....ever, honestly. Thank god Rotom forever immortalised this dude
14
A big step-up from Teal Mask in practically every way bar one. As someone who started the series with BW, the Gen 5 pandering had me wearing a massive grin throughout, the characters were all super charming and likeable (especially Kieran like oh my god my precious son I'M SO SORRY) and the Terarium is both a very distinct location AND a great excuse to bring back regional variants from previous gens. I'd say the only thing that fell a bit flat was Terapagos; like it's a very cool looking mon absolutely, but compared to pretty much every other modern legendary, it's inclusion felt a bit too much like an afterthought for my liking.
Other than that though, Indigo Disk is a great piece of DLC that ends a pretty polarising gen on a high for me.
Other than that though, Indigo Disk is a great piece of DLC that ends a pretty polarising gen on a high for me.
15
NOW THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT BABY! Smooth Moves takes the foundation of the original Warioware (plus those that came after that original GBA title) and ratchets the absurdity and creativity up to eleven. It utilises the Wiimote in exceedingly new and bizarre ways (accompanied by the best tutorial voice in gaming history) to provide a fast-paced yet still followable set of perfectly designed microgames, with some of the most infectiously catchy tunes lifting them up even higher. Yeah, it's only about an hour or so long if you know what you're doing, but trust me when I say that that hour will be the most chaotic and hilarious 60 minutes of your life.
16
After being thoroughly unimpressed with 5, I went into Mega Man 6 with hopeful yet reserved expectations that it would be able to be a return to form. Not only was MM6 exactly that though, it ended up being easily my favourite of all the NES games by a country mile. The Robot Masters, who could feel pretty disconnected in previous games, now have a dual 'element/weapon' theming, making them both incredibly fun to fight and more obvious as to who's weak to what, the level design is filled with a ton more variety and creativity from start to finish (the sunset in Tomahawk Man's stage man....so good) and the Rush Armor adds the perfect wrinkle to MM's tried and true gamplay to keep things fresh six games in. This is easily the best Mega Man game I've played thus far and one of the best NES platformers there is.
17
A massively steep learning curve with this one and I wouldn't blame you in the slightest for dropping it after about half an hour, but if you decide to stick with it, you discover one of the most mechanically deep, endlessly creative and oh so stylish racers available. It really is as the character select theme says: you gotta WORK YO BODDAY WO-WORK YO BODDAY in order to truly get it.
18
After avoiding the series for years on end, I finally tried Fire Emblem for the first time this year through Blazing Blade on NSO and, in what was one of 2023's biggest surprises, I ended up loving it! The narrative is pretty paper-thin (at least compared to later entries) but the characters are all super charming (especially the core three of Eliwood, Hector and Lyn), the spritework is great both in and out of battle and the gameplay is consistently varied and tense. The only thing preventing it from getting a higher score honestly is how bad I am it; strategy games are not my cup of tea and Blazing Blade, for how much I like it, is no exception to that rule XD
Still, this was a great introduction to the series and makes me want to snap up a bunch of other entries like Three Houses as soon as possible.
Still, this was a great introduction to the series and makes me want to snap up a bunch of other entries like Three Houses as soon as possible.
19
Finally got to play through the original Superstar Saga this year after first experiencing M&L through SS's 3DS remake and can confirm that the GBA version is still just as fantastic as the remake. Immensely memorable setpieces/characters, an action command-based battle system that never gets old and some of the funniest writing ever put in an RPG all combine to give me chortles every time I decide to play through Superstar Saga.
20
My first proper horror game and good lord was it a good one. Dead Space is a masterclass in tension, not really scaring you with what you see (though the Necromorphs are fantastically designed baddies) but rather with what you can't, putting you on edge at all times with both tight resource management and brilliant sound design at all times, while still letting you feel powerful despite it all. I unfortunately wasn't able to actually beat it due to a softlock bug right at the end of the game, but I'm 100% going to return to both it and the rest of the series at a later point. What a perfect first horror game and between this and Metroid Fusion, I might be developing a taste for sci-fi horror-infused games.
21
I've been enamoured with Epic Yarn since the moment I first laid eyes on it some 10+ years ago and finally got around to playing through it for the first time this year, and I'm pleased to say it thoroughly exceeded my expectations and then some (which, after the last game I played, was very much needed XD). The yarn/craftwork aesthetic is realised to perfection in pretty much every angle you could imagine, resulting in a game that hasn't aged a day both visually and mechanically, the gameplay is a delightfully relaxed spin on Kirby's traditional platforming style and the OST is absolute perfection from start to finish. Sometimes it can feel a bit sluggish and the bonus challenges are not my cup of tea whatsoever, but overall, Kirby's Epic Yarn is the definition of cosy and exactly what I needed after some turbulent points in my life near the end of the year.
22
An odd trinket in Capcom's back catalog of IPs, Zack & Wiki, while certainly not without fault, is a very good point-and-click puzzle/adventure game that deserves to be remembered. The artstyle on display feels like a distinctly Japanese take on a Saturday-morning cartoon with the amount of wildly goofy expressions the characters use, the puzzles (for the most part) are very acutely designed and the motion controls genuinely enhance the experience, with each of the aforementioned puzzles truly feeling built around the unconventional control scheme. There are some intensely frustrating bits near the endgame and the soundtrack isn't much to write home about but this is still a quality point-and-click that I'd recommend to anyone with an interest in the genre (also it's pretty dirt cheap these days so do yourself a favour and grab it).
23
A hilarious yet incredibly novel revival of the series that fits in right alongside it's older brethren. F-Zero as a battle royale sounds like an utterly ludicrous idea on paper, but 99 manages to pull it off with aplomb while also retaining the speed and precision that made older entries so beloved. I haven't played it too much since release but it's a great take on the series that has me hopeful that a proper new F-Zero may not be too far away.
25
Played this one through an NSO Game Trial and really enjoyed it overall! It marries a traditional 2D Zelda game with the rhythm-based combat/movement of Crypt of the Necrodancer remarkably well and the soundtrack that accompanies it is expectedly ROCKING. The novelty does start to wear off a tad near the endgame and it can be a bit too punishing at times, but there really is nothing better than getting in the flow of that gloriously groovy beat.
26
As an extremely avid fan of the 2019 remake of Link's Awakening, the Game Boy original is pretty much then exact same game.... and that's not a bad thing in the slightest. Yes, the Game Boy's button limits makes constantly having to swap weapons a massive pain, but this is by and large still Link's Awakening which still makes it incredible. Plus the spritework on display absolutely oozes charm and charisma in exactly the same way the diorama-esque models of the remake did so it's even got that down too. Overall a perfectly fine version of one of my favourite games of all time that, while I do personally prefer the Switch remake, is still just as great of a time as it always has been. Happy 30th Anniversary Link's Awakening!
27
An absolutely gorgeous 2D fighter filled with insane amounts of characters, options and overall swagger....that just didn't click with me nearly as much as Alpha 2. It's still a phenomenal fighting game and was the starting point for so many iconic SF characters like R. Mika and Cody. And yet, for whatever reason, I could just never stick with it the same way I did for Alpha 2. I'll probably go back to it next year and give it another shake but for right now, it's a damn good Street Fighter game that just didn't resonate with me nearly as hard as it's predecessor did.
28
Oracle of Ages (and Seasons) were some of my most anticipated releases for GB NSO and, having gone through the first of the duo, I'm glad to say they're just as good as I was hoping they'd be, albeit with some glaring issues that bogged down the overall experience. Ages has a heightened focus on puzzle-solving compared to Seasons and, for the most part, it does it remarkably well, with both the overworld and a lot of the the dungeons making great use of both Link's expansive toolset as well as the time travel mechanic. Unfortunately, this greatness is brought down pretty substantially by inconsistent dungeon quality, a forgettable soundtrack (with some exceptions) and a length that made me pray for the credits by the end. Still great overall, though probably the weakest post-LttP 2D Zelda so far (and it's an 8/10 despite it XD).
29
In addition to Mega Man, 2023 also marked the year I began my trek through Devil May Cry, starting with the 2001 original back in July. And while it's origins as a first-draft of Resident Evil 4 are incredibly apparent at points (in both good and bad ways), it still manages to be a very confident first attempt with tight action gameplay, fascinating gothic aesthetic and charisma dripping from every orifice. It may be a tad outclassed by future entries, but DMC1's still a devilishly good time nonetheless.
30
31
I mean I don't know what you want me to say: it's f***ing Tetris. 8/10
33
The first of Pokemon SV's DLC is a pretty good one, though much like the base game, it isn't without it's issues. Kitakami is a far more memorable region than Paldea, with interesting locales and culture galore if you look hard enough, the new characters are great (especially Kieran but we'll get to him later) and Ogerpon is one of the best Legendaries in the entire series. However, for as much good Teal Mask brings to the table, it's bogged down tremendously by an incredibly short length, homogeneous regional dex (hope you like Grass, Water and Bug types!) and, just like base SV, consistently poor performance. Nonetheless, it's a fine starter before the main course that is to come.
34
Hoo boy is this a divisive one. MM3 throws some of the largest amounts of BS ever seen in the series your way from start to finish. Between intensely frustrating enemies like the Snakes or the infamous Doc Robot fights, MM3 is unquestionably one of the most infuriating NES games of all time.
It's also my 2nd favourite in the series so far.
I know that sounds insane but listen: for as much as 3 gets wrong, it gets so, SO much right in equal measure. The graphical leap compared to first two games is astonishing, the Robot Masters are some of the most fun fights I've had in Mega Man and additions like the slide and Rush enhance both the game-feel and level design to a tremendous degree.
It ain't perfect by a longshot but goddamn 3 is the guiltiest of guilty pleasures for me.
It's also my 2nd favourite in the series so far.
I know that sounds insane but listen: for as much as 3 gets wrong, it gets so, SO much right in equal measure. The graphical leap compared to first two games is astonishing, the Robot Masters are some of the most fun fights I've had in Mega Man and additions like the slide and Rush enhance both the game-feel and level design to a tremendous degree.
It ain't perfect by a longshot but goddamn 3 is the guiltiest of guilty pleasures for me.
36
Capcom's first big arcade hit still holds up pretty well today all things considered. The combat is decidely more simple than beatemups that would follow it, but Final Fight makes up for it with how it absolutely nails it's city-wide aesthetic in much the same way Streets of Rage 2 did. It's not the most memorable beatemup I've ever played but it's a fascinating part of Capcom's arcade chronology that I'm glad is kept alive to this day through Street Fighter.
37
A simple yet exceedingly charming little fighting game that fully demonstrates Nintendo's way of doing their own spin on an already established genre. Hits feel great to land thanks to some wonderful sound design, each fighter manages to feel relatively distinct from each other despite all sharing more or less the same control scheme and having legit motion inputs in a Nintendo-made fighter feels INSANE in the best way possible. I'll forever be sad Joy Mech Fight never got expanded upon as it feels like a prime candidate for Nintendo to use if they ever want to try their hand at a traditional fighting game for once.
38
A pretty good atmospheric puzzle-platformer, though one I think is massively overrated by the general gaming space. The black and white aesthetic does a great job at immersing you into the world it showcases and there's a bunch of great puzzles throughout it's decently short runtime. Though for every good puzzle, it feels like there's an intensely annoying one just around the corner and the trial-and-error nature of a lot of them gets stale very quickly.
Still, a perfectly fine little indie that, while I think it's quality is a bit too overblown, can still acknowledge as a good game.
Still, a perfectly fine little indie that, while I think it's quality is a bit too overblown, can still acknowledge as a good game.
39
god late 90's/early 2000's styled arcadey racers NEED to come back in vogue man, this s*** is so charming
40
It's Picross. Not as visually charming as other Picross games I've played yes....but it's still Picross, of course it's fun.
42
Despite having Capcom Fighting Collection for nearly 2 years at this point, I only got around to playing the headlining series of Darkstalkers for the first time this October. And while I don't think it's best Capcom fighter I've played so far, it still excels in many aspects such as game speed, character design/diversity and animation. Darkstalkers is a pioneer that, while the first entry hasn't aged the best, is one that I can absolutely see why it's endured for as long as it has (even if the company who made it doesn't seem interested in bringing them back from the grave).
43
They found a way to make grinding fun, those absolute madlads.
44
A marked improvement over it's predecessor in just about every way. Ghouls 'N Ghosts, while definitely still balls-to-the-wall difficult, feels much more akin to a 2D version of the Souls games where almost every death feels like your fault rather than the game just giving you a middle finger. Still stupid you have to beat the game twice in order to get the ending though.
45
A pretty straightforward remake of SMB2 with, funnily enough, perhaps too many bells and whistles sprinkled on top. I'm in the camp that prefers the original SMB2 compared to the All Stars remake so, while the same rings true for SMB2 Advance, it at least feels a lot more distinct with the amount of effects it plasters all over the damn place. Not my favourite version of one of my personal favourite Mario games, but still perfectly serviceable nonetheless.
also the voices are fun, you guys are just weak-willed >:)
also the voices are fun, you guys are just weak-willed >:)
46
Played this one as a Rental Randomizer since, even before it dropped on NSO, I knew going in that you wouldn't be able to put your own mons in whatsoever and ended up having a great time. Yeah, it's pretty simple (it is Gen 1 after all) but I was constantly on the edge of my seat for pretty much every battle as even just one small mistake could spell catastrophe. Still have yet to actually beat it but it's one I plan on returning to over the course of 2024.
47
Been waiting since the BCP finished up to give my proper thoughts on it and now, nearly two years after it began, we've finally reached the finish line. While I do have my gripes with it, namely in how they adapted certain tracks into MK8 alongside the graphical hit most of the tracks took in the transition, the BCP pretty much adds an entire new game's worth of tracks to one of the already best feeling MK games around. And you have fan favourites like Diddy Kong and Birdo here too? Yeah, that settles it: the Booster Course Pass is pretty cool.
48
what if I said this is better than Pac-Man
what about then
what about then
49
Easily my most anticipated release from GBA NSO's post-launch roadmap, Amazing Mirror is....unfortunately just kind of there honestly. The spritework is probably some of my favourite in the entire series, it's got some pretty banging tunes and the open-ended structure makes it feel unlike any other Kirby game I've ever played. Unfortunately, it's that open-ended structure that also leads to K&tAM's most critical flaw: it is so easy to get completely lost and/or go around in circles. It makes a series already criticised for it's repetitiveness even worse in that regard and brings down the overall experience severely. It's not a terrible game by any means, but definitely a disappointing one.
50
One of the better classic Mega Man games for sure, but I genuinely couldn't tell you much of anything about it; definitely one of the most forgettable in the series for me personally. Will say this though: Dr. Cossack was a pretty neat twist on the series' villain structure up until this point (even if he does get usurped by Wily at the last minute) and the intro sequence with Rock on the train is still so f***ing cool man.
52
Surprisingly fun for what it is honestly! It's still a minigame collection comprised of games so simple even a turkey could probably comprehend them, but all the added flourishes with both the Mario characters, frames of animation and general presentation make this a very nice time and something I could see myself coming back to on a regular basis.
53
My first foray into the Warioware series and it was....fine? Like don't get me wrong, the core Warioware gameplay loop of hopping from microgame to microgame in quick succession is still here and is just as fun as it would be in later entries....but I don't know man, everything else just feels off. I really couldn't vibe with the graphical style on display (I know the old Warioware artstyle has it's fans but I vastly prefer the series' more modern look) and it just dragged down the overall experience immensely as a result (plus some microgames are just unfair). It's a perfectly fine intro to the series, but one that I don't see much reason to come back to compared to later entries.
54
2023 was the year I finally played through Mega Man for the first time and, while I definitely have more to say about later entries, MM2 is still a pretty good run-n-gunner all things considered. I personally feel like it's a tad overrated (especially when later entries pretty much do a lot of what 2 did but better) but 2 is a classic for a reason; a good selection of Robot Masters, some pretty fun boss weapons and an utterly brilliant soundtrack combine to form a game that, while I think isn't quite as good as everyone says it is, is still a rock (heh) solid time all around.
55
In addition to the numerous games I've listed already, 2023 also marked the year that I finally played Castlevania for the first time ever (aside from an hour's worth of playtime in Bloodlines) and the first entry is decent introduction to Castlevania, albeit not nearly as great as I imagined it'd be. A greatly-realised gothic aesthetic (especially on a console as limited as the NES), very snappy controls and a cavalcade of cool and unique items strewn throughout is bogged down by the most frightening sight of all: BS LEVEL/BOSS DESIGN IN THE LATTER HALF!!!
CV1 is still a fine enough game overall but christ almighty if it didn't make me want to rip my hair out on multiple occasions.
CV1 is still a fine enough game overall but christ almighty if it didn't make me want to rip my hair out on multiple occasions.
56
A very cute take on 2048 that didn't quite click with me as much as it has for others. Still very charming though and I'm glad it managed to go viral!
57
Certainly a strange little entry in the wider Kirby mythos, though one that I definitely had a good time with overall. They translated Copy Abilities over to the Game Boy style of Kirby games pretty much flawlessly, the Animal Buddies shake up the traditional Kirby gameplay in fun and unique ways (while also being incredibly adorable) and DL2 also marked the debut of Dark Matter to the series which is definitely a huge plus. That being said however, DL2 is also dragged down by basic level design, a frighteningly small amount of copy abilities (even less so if you only count actually useful ones) and going for the Rainbow Shards is PAINFUL. Overall, I liked it more than the original Dream Land, though can see why it often gets cast aside when discussing Kirby's early years.
58
This game is an absolute mess but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a fun kind of mess.
59
A fascinatingly quaint start to what would eventually become one of the most iconic mascots in gaming history. High frame counts on almost all animations, level design that accommodates Kirby's unique movement and an OST so good it still gets remixed to this day all contribute immensely to my enjoyment of DL1, though the insanely short run-time and frustration-filled Extra Mode put a pretty big dampener on the experience overall. Overall, it's pretty much the definition of style-over-substance but if you're as diehard a Kirby fan as I am, I'd definitely say to give it a go at least once in your life.
60
I played this for like 10 minutes back in June but it was pretty fun and definitely makes me want to try and play the original NES/arcade versions at some point.
61
A cute little Game Jam experience that falls off pretty hard in the lategame. Still, for what it is, it's a very unique take on a puzzle-platformer.
62
Went into this with literally zero expectations apart from 'oh yeah, it's that one Sonic character' and ended up having a surprisingly decent time overall. A very simple game yes but one that had a frenetic arcadey feel throughout nonetheless.
63
Thought I'd commemorate my birthday this year by playing through the most Capcom game of all (it's literally in the guy's name: CAPtain COMmando). CC is probably one of the most bang average beatemups I've ever played, with not really any one aspect standing out besides the main cast of characters. It was swapping between the four available whenever I died and I think Captain Commando actually getting a game after being used as a mascot for so long is still so cool but other than that? Yeah it's just OK.
64
My first venture into Konami's seminal shmup was pretty good for the most part. It does have a lot of the early-to-mid 80's unfairness that was very common in games from that time period, but the constantly shifting powerups and engaging boss fights kept me invested nonetheless. Do hope they tone down the speed in future games though, I felt like I barely had any control at certain points of my playthrough.
65
Better than Super Mario Kart, though that's not exactly saying much. While I like the creativity on display for a lot of Super Circuit's tracks (especially given how this was the first ever portable Mario Kart), it suffers from a lot of the same issues as SMK: dated controls and a lack of any real distinguishing features compared to other Mario Karts. Sky Garden's pretty cool though.
66
In one of the coolest marketing stunts I think I've ever seen, McDonald's just randomly put out a Game Boy Colour game (that's even playable on official hardware!!!) starring Grimace. And you know what the craziest part is? It's actually pretty alright! It's nothing crazy mind you; mechanics get thrown at you with pretty much no time to take them in and it's beatable in about 20 minutes. But it's shockingly well-made given what it's purpose is and truly does feel like something straight out of the late 90's.
68
Certainly one of the most mechanically bizarre games that pink puffball has ever starred in, it's hard to be too mad at Tilt 'n' Tumble for being as consistently annoying as it is given how there really wasn't any game quite like it before it's release....but yeah it's still extremely annoying throughout most of it's (thankfully) short run-time. The scrunched-up voicelines are absolutely hilarious at least.
70
Geez man, what the hell happened here? MM5 is such a downturn compared to the the previous entries, at least in my opinion. While I like 5's higher emphasis on platforming challenges and the music is still just as jamming as ever (shoutout to Dark Man's theme especially), it feels like almost everything else got massively scaled back to accomodate that heightened focus on platforming. The Robot Masters are either utterly infuriating or pathetically easy with no inbetween, the weapons they give out are probably some of the worst in the series and the final Wily stretch can go straight to hell. I don't think it's the worst in the classic series (that dishonour handily goes to 1) but it's definitely the most bafflingly disappointing after how much fun 3 and 4 were.
71
I wanted to like this one so badly man. I think the aesthetic is adorable, the music's suitably funky and the gameplay is incredibly unique. However, it's that gameplay that causes me to kind of despise Kuruin if I'm honest. It's very likely that I'm just really bad at it, but I could never get a handle on how exactly you're meant to make it through most of the levels on display, constantly bashing my head in trying to make it work. I still respect Kuruin for the creativity it showcases at almost every turn but yeah, major pass for me unfortunately.
72
73
Oof, um....yeah. This one's uhh....something alright. I can see why people would enjoy this one as, when everything works, you can feel absolutely unstoppable in the face of everything that opposes you. But that's if everything works out; when it doesn't, you're left with a dreadfully sluggish sidescroller with that classic tinge of arcadey unfairness that you'd expect from a title like this. Still, it makes me want to try Strider 2 and 3 so that's something at least.
74
One of my most controversial gaming stances is that I really don't like Mario World all too much, especially compared to the games that both came before and after it. The spritework is lovely, the music is iconic and Yoshi was/is an absolutely brilliant addition to the series....but it all feels betrayed by how poorly it all feels to control. Mario feels like he's constantly slipping on ice no matter what you do and it feels incredibly at odds with the precision platforming SMW wants you to do, leading to a very frustrating experience overall. And the Advance rerelease....doesn't change much of anything to be honest. Luigi having his defining characteristics is cool and so are Yoshi Coins being actual collectables....but yeah that's really it. PLUS IT ADDED SCREEN CRUNCH OH WHAT JOY
75
76
Hey did you know Game Freak made this? It's probably the most interesting thing about this game so I thought I'd mention it.
77
It's soccer but with lousy hit detection AND idiot goalies!
78
It's tennis but with lousy hit detection!
79
I am so glad I played 2 first. MM1 is a deeply frustrating game throughout, practically being a poster child for NES-era cheese and BS with some of the stuff it pulls throughout it's runtime (those damn disappearing blocks especially) . The DNA of what'll eventually make Mega Man great can definitely be seen on occasion in 1 but overall, it's a classic case of 'first-game syndrome' right alongside series like Crash Bandicoot or Final Fantasy.
80
This game sucks and even then I feel like I'm being nicer to it than most others would. There's a lot in here that I actually do quite like: Dante's design is one of his strongest in the entire series, the locales you visit are much more varied than DMC1 (and even DMC3) and it would start the trend of multiple playable characters in the series which is easily one of DMC's best aspects. And yet despite all this going for it, DMC2 completely misses the mark in just about every other way; Dante has the personality of a wet tissue, enemies (and especially bosses) are just massive damage sponges and combos have been all but removed in favour of bland generic beatemup combat. Not the worst game I've ever played as it does have some redeeming qualities here and there....but it's close.
81
Castlevania suffered the exact same fate as Devil May Cry when it came to it's sequel: a complete shift from how the first game played, resulting in a dull joyless experience from start to finish. The best I can give this game is that it's the entry that gave us arguably the best song in the entire CV series with Bloody Tears but apart from that, it's a confusing mess of a game that tries and fails to be an open world-esque experience a la Zelda II (note: you should not try to be like Zelda II). AND THIS WAS WITH A GUIDE, I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE TRYING TO PLAY THIS PIECE OF S*** WITHOUT ONE.
82
Don't make the same mistake I did in playing this; I might've just saved you shaving off a decade of your lifespan.
83
The worst game I have ever played and nothing comes even remotely close. Stupidly unfair, incredibly dull visually and some of the worst platforming challenges I have ever seen added in purely for the sake of artificial difficulty. People warned me about this one and now I know why, f*** this game.
84